FBI Seeking New Tips on 13th Anniversary of Girl’s Disappearance

FBI Charlotte
February 14, 2013

Public Affairs Specialist Shelley Lynch(704) 672-6766

Thirteen years after she vanished, the Charlotte Division of the FBI is continuing to follow leads in the disappearance of Asha Degree. On February 14, 2000, 9-year-old Asha Degree left her home in Shelby, North Carolina in the middle of the night and disappeared. The FBI is asking the public to report any information that could help find her. A photo of Asha as a 9-year-old child and an age-progressed photo of what she would look like at the age of 19 are below and also available on various FBI social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter.

Asha’s family last saw her asleep in her bedroom around 2:30 a.m. An hour-and-a-half later, she was seen by drivers walking along North Carolina Highway 18 in Shelby. Her parents reported her missing by 6:30 a.m. More than a year later, Asha’s book bag was discovered buried along North Carolina 18 in Burke County.

Asha at age 9

Age-progressed photo of Asha at 19

The FBI is investigating Asha’s disappearance in partnership with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Anyone with information regarding this case should call FBI Charlotte at 704-672-6100 or the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at 704-484-4787.